Page 92 of Wolf.e
Her pretty blue eyes narrow at me and she looks down at the gun then back to me.
I watch with fascination as she comes to terms with the idea that she could kill me right now. It’s not the way fear lines her eyes but that spark of electricity when she understands…she holds all the power that drives me.
“You don’t want to put a bulletproof vest on?”
“Not a chance,” I answer. “That’s why the target is on my right.” I grin. “Better chance of survival if you hit this side of my body.”
Brinley doesn’t speak. She just tilts her hips the way I’ve shown her as the late July cicadas fill the air.
Am I scared right now? Not really. The only regret I’d have is not having more time with her. And if I have to go out, going by Brinley’s hand, while staring at her beautiful face, is theway I’d want. She moves her left leg forward and the right leg behind a little, and lifts the gun, holding it with both hands.
“Your shoulder,” I tell her, reminding her to lean it a little forward to help with the recoil.
She nods, determination in her eyes and every single feature.
Ten long seconds of silence fill the air and then Brinley’s eyes meet mine once before she zeros in on her target and fires.
Chapter 46
Brinley
I watch in horror as the bullet hits Gabriel, and he recoils backward a few inches.
“Fuck,”he hisses, and I scream, dropping the gun.
I run toward him.
“Oh my god, Ishotyou,” I cry out, feeling like I’m going into shock. The bullet landed in the tree behind him and the skin of his bicep is torn open in a sickening way. It’s already bleeding profusely.
“What have I told you? Never drop your gun. Holster it or set it down!” he growls.
That’s what he’s worried about right now?
Gabriel inspects the wound, his jaw set before turning back to me. I wait as he reaches down and calmly tears a clean strip off the bottom of my T-shirt, wrapping it around his arm expertly as he secures it before looking at me. His breathing is calm and even, like he doesn’t even care I could’ve just killed him. I do a little dance of wanting to cover his wound with myhands and not touching it. I finally just drop them to my sides, willing my breathing to calm down.
“Does it hurt? I knew I shouldn’t have tried that. I don’t need a gun. I could’ve killed you. Oh my god,” I cry, tears filling my eyes.
Gabriel looks down at me, gripping both sides of my face, the only expression of pain he shows is a slight jaw tick as he raises his wounded arm to hold me.
“While I’m happy to see how much you care about me, little bird, calm down. It barely grazed me. I’ve had way worse,” he adds, kissing me. “Now, go back over there and this time, hit the fucking target.”
“What?” I squeal. “No way, not a goddamn chance.”
Gabriel reaches up with his left hand and brings it down to my ass cheek. Hard.Did he just fucking spank me?
He’s never done that when we weren’t in the middle of or about to have sex, and I’m not sure if it pisses me off or turns me on. Probably both.
“Take a fucking breath,” he growls. “Don’t make me tell you twice, Brinley. You have to rise above that fear. Focus.”
And then his lips are on mine, forcing my mouth open his tongue slips inside and chases my own. The adrenaline from turning over this power to me mingles with my fear. I melt into him and I can’t control the tears welling up in my eyes. Somewhere over the last six weeks, I’ve grown attached to him, more attached to him than I’ve admitted even to myself. Gabriel nips and sucks my tongue into his mouth, searching every part as if this is the last kiss he’ll ever give me, and hell, maybe it is, because I know I have no choice.
Gabriel won’t let me chicken out here. He pulls back from me, his eyes alive and vibrant from our kiss.
“Don’t let that be the last time I taste those fucking lips,” he says with that sadistic glimmer before he taps me on the ass. “Get going.”
It’s uncontrollable, the emotion flowing through me right now mixed with the adrenaline of shooting him. I throw myself into his arms and do something I’ve never done. I hug him. Under the dappled sun filtering down through the canopy of the live oaks in his yard, I hold onto Gabriel for dear life. He stands as still as a statue for all of five seconds before his strong arms wrap around me and he hugs me back. I don’t know how long we stay like this, but I know I need it. We both need it.
Finally, I back away and look up at him. I nod and walk back to my shooting position. I pick up the gun and take my stance. Looking at this man who has scared the living hell out of me, torn me to pieces, and built me back up into a stronger version of myself, a man who has kept me here day in and day out, a man who doesn’t have faith in anyone has just put all his faith in me. He put this gun in my hand without hesitation and with the utmost trust. It hits me that I could end him right now if I choose, but I know without a doubt it’s the last thing I’d want to do.
